Health FAQs

The Health FAQs provide brief answers to questions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, with information about Indigenous people, health problems and common risk factors. The answers are updated regularly as new information becomes available, and will expand to include information about other health conditions and social determinants.

What do we know about the Indigenous population?

Population details

Based on information from the 2011 Census, the ABS estimates that there were 698,583 Indigenous people living in Australia in 2013.More about population details

In 2012, there were 18,295 births registered in Australia where one or both parents were Indigenous (six in every 100 births)More about births

Deaths

Indigenous Australians die at a younger age than non-Indigenous Australians. Currently, Indigenous women are expected to live until almost 74 years of age and Indigenous men are expected to live until around 69 years of age.More about deaths

Hospitalisation

Indigenous people are admitted to the hospital more than non-Indigenous people. Many of the admissions involve dialysis (a treatment for kidney disease).More about hospitalisation

What do we know about specific health conditions among the Indigenous population?

Indigenous people are diagnosed with cancer slightly more frequently than non-Indigenous people. The mortality of Indigenous people from cancer is higher than that of non-Indigenous people.More about cancer

Diabetes

Diabetes is much more common among Indigenous people and occurs at younger ages than among non-Indigenous people.More about diabetes

Social and emotional wellbeing

Indigenous people report experiencing more significant stressors and higher levels of psychological distress when compared with non-Indigenous people. Hospitalisation and deaths due to 'mental and behavioural disorders' are also higher for the Indigenous population than they are for the non-Indigenous population.More about social and emotional wellbeing

Kidney health

Kidney health is a very serious problem among the Indigenous population and the leading cause of Indigenous hospital admissions.More about kidney health

Injury

Injury is much more common among Indigenous people and occurs at younger ages than among non-Indigenous people.More about injury

Respiratory health

Levels of respiratory disease are similar for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, but asthma is more common among Indigenous people. Indigenous people are more than twice as likely to die from a respiratory disease as other Australians.More about respiratory health

Eye health

Blindness was six times more common for Indigenous people than non-Indigenous people aged over 40 years, even though Indigenous children have better vision better than non-Indigenous children.More about eye conditions

Ear health

Levels of ear disease and hearing problems were higher for Indigenous people than non-Indigenous people, especially for children and young people.More about ear health

Oral health

Oral health problems, including caries and gum disease, are more common among Indigenous people than among non-Indigenous people.More about oral health

Disability

Disability is much more common among Indigenous people and occurs at younger ages than among non-Indigenous people.More about disability

Communicable diseases

The communicable diseases that are most important to the health of Indigenous people include: tuberculosis; hepatitis; sexually transmissible infections; HIV/AIDS; Haemophilus influenzae type b; pneumococcal disease; meningococcal disease; and skin infections and infestations. Most of these communicable diseases are far more common in the Indigenous population than the non-Indigenous population. More about communicable diseases

What do we know about protective and risk factors among the Indigenous population?

Nutrition

Most Indigenous people eat fruits and vegetables every day, but are more likely than non-Indigenous people to miss out on eating enough of them daily.More about nutrition